For years, Kevin Atwater has been the moral heartbeat of Chicago P.D. — loyal, principled, and quietly unbreakable. But in 2026, a new wave of rumors has hit the fandom like a siren in the night:
👉 Is LaRoyce Hawkins preparing to leave the show?
The speculation exploded after whispers about a major personal twist for Atwater involving Tasha — and one word that changes everything:
Pregnancy.
According to unverified chatter circulating across fan forums and entertainment gossip pages, the writers are reportedly considering a storyline that would turn Kevin’s world upside down: Tasha expecting a child, forcing Atwater into the biggest emotional and moral crossroads of his life.
And suddenly, the fandom isn’t just asking what happens to Kevin…
They’re asking what happens to LaRoyce.
Because in long-running TV, a baby storyline often means one of two things:
• A brand-new era for a character.
• Or the beginning of the end.
That’s where the exit rumors came from.
Fans started noticing subtle changes: Atwater getting more screen time centered on personal life instead of the unit. More introspection. More “what’s next for me?” energy. Less focus on long-term career growth inside Intelligence.
To many viewers, it felt like setup.
Setup for a shift.
Setup for a goodbye.
Setup for Kevin choosing family over the badge.
And once that idea hit the internet, it spread fast.
Some rumor accounts now claim LaRoyce Hawkins may be looking for new opportunities beyond Chicago P.D. Others say the showrunners want to give Atwater a “soft exit” — not a death, not a scandal, but a life change: fatherhood, responsibility, and a reason to walk away from the violence.
But let’s be clear:
❗ There is no official confirmation that LaRoyce Hawkins is leaving Chicago P.D.
❗ No NBC statement.
❗ No trade reports.
❗ No exit announcement.
Right now, this is fandom connecting emotional dots.
Still, the theory makes sense emotionally.
Kevin Atwater has been through hell: betrayal, racism, violence, loss, and impossible moral choices. Giving him a child would raise the ultimate question:
Can he keep doing this job… and still come home alive?
That’s powerful drama.
And it’s also the kind of question that leads characters out of long-running shows with dignity instead of disaster.
In other words: not a firing, not a tragedy — but a choice.
And fans are split.
Some say Atwater deserves peace.
Some say the show needs him too much.
Some say LaRoyce Hawkins is the soul of Chicago P.D.
Which is true.
LaRoyce has grown Kevin from a rookie into one of the most respected characters in the One Chicago universe. He brings empathy into a show built on brutality. He gives heart to a world full of hard edges.
So the idea of losing him?
That scares people.
But others see the pregnancy twist as the start of Atwater’s next evolution — not his exit. A man who doesn’t leave the job, but changes how he fights. A cop who becomes a father without walking away from the unit.
So where does the rumor really come from?
From fear.
Fear of change.
Fear of losing a character fans trust.
Fear that Chicago P.D. is entering another era of departures.
And because 2026 already feels like a transition year for One Chicago, every storyline gets read like a potential goodbye letter.
But here’s the grounded truth:
• LaRoyce Hawkins has never said he’s leaving.
• Kevin Atwater is still a core part of the show.
• A pregnancy storyline — if it even happens — could mean more Kevin, not less.
Sometimes a family twist isn’t an exit door.
It’s a deeper anchor.
Still, in the fandom’s imagination, the idea is already burning:
What if Kevin becomes a father… and decides he can’t be Intelligence anymore?
What if his love for his child outweighs his loyalty to the job?
What if Atwater finally chooses himself?
That wouldn’t be a scandal.
That would be a legacy.
Until NBC or the showrunners say anything official, this story lives where all great One Chicago rumors live:
🔥 In the space between fear… and hope.
Because if LaRoyce Hawkins ever does leave Chicago P.D., fans don’t want him gone in silence.
They want him to walk out the door with meaning.
And Kevin Atwater deserves nothing less.